Filling machine



March 21, 1939. H. c. STOCKDALE FILLING MACHINE Filed July 50, 1937 INVENTOR. 17007. C J/dtfl'dd/t.

ATT RNEY.

Patented Mar. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 13 Claims. (01.226-61) The invention is concerned with filling machines and relates more particularly to a machine of this character which is adapted for the filling of measured amounts of vegetables, such as potatoes or the like, into containers which are usually in the form of paper bags.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved filling machine for dispensing articles, such as potatoes or the like, in measured amounts into bags.

Another object of the invention is to providea machine of the character described which is adapted for use with a sizer to receive the articles therefrom, and to place such articles in measured amounts in suitable containers.

\ Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described which is adapted for easy and rapid operation to facilitate filling of bags with articles, such as potatoes or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described, which is of simple construction, easy operation, and economical manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described which can be attached to a sizer so that the articles being sized can be-placed in containers as apart of a continuous operation.

30 Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the filling machine, or bagger, as it is mounted in place on a sizer, which is shown in dot-dash lines.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the bagger, with the sizer shown in dot-dash lines.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrat- 40 ing the adjustable mounting of the upper guide roller for the bagger drum.

Generally, the filling machine of my invention may comprise a frame and a filling device rotatably mounted thereon, such device including a 45 central hopper or chamber and a plurality of measuring pockets or tubes associated therewith. The measuring pockets may also serve as bag holders, and cooperate with a bag supporting track to control the position and movement of the 50 bags during the filling operation.

The frame of the machine may comprise a pair of spaced apart side members or angles I having an upright triangular hopper support 2 suitably .secured thereon, and-in spaced relation from a 65 pair of upright side angles 3. The. upright angles 3 are connected at the top by a cross brace Ii which is also connected to the hopper support 2 by a bracing strap 8. Each of the bracing plates for the side angles 3 is provided with a laterally projecting pin I to engage an associated notched 5 bracket 8 on the adjacent sizer post 4 whereby the frame is detachably mounted on the sizer. At the lower end of each side angle 3 an adjusting screw 9 is provided to engage the adjacent post 4 and thereby control the angular position 10 of the frame relative to the sizer.

As previously stated, the filling device comprises a central hopper or chamber to receive the potatoes, and with which a plurality of measuring pockets communicate. prise a drum l0 having apertured end plates II, to one of which a ring i2 is secured to extend radially beyond the drum and provide a flange to engage in three grooved rollers IS, the lower pair of which are journalled by respective studs It on 20 the horizontal leg of the triangular support 2, while the upper roller l3 has its stud l4 mounted in the upright part of the U-shaped end I? of the strap 6. Strap end I5 is apertured to receive an adjusting screw i6 which is located with respect thereto as by nuts H. The screw it is threaded in the support i 5, and has a suitable lock nut l1 associated therewith. By this means, the drum in may be installed on its support by engaging the ring l2 in the grooves of the lower pair of rollers It, with the upper roller i3 adjusted to clear the top of the ring I2, after which such upper roller i3 is lowered by means of its screw I 8 to operatively engage the ring l2, whereby the drum I0 is rotatably mounted on its sup= porting frame.

The drum I0 is provided with a series of apertures around which the measuring and bag receiving tubes 2| are secured, as by welding, to form measuring pockets. Within the drum, a 40 pair of frusto-conical guide strips 22 are secured between the drum and end plates ii to provide sloping potato delivery surfaces leading to the tubes 2|. Each tube 2! includes a short radial portion 23 immediately adjacent the drum, and a 5 longer portion 24 secured at an angle to the short portion 23 and in trailing relation with respect to the direction of rotation of the bagger, which as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, is rotated in a clockwise direction.

Both end plates ii are provided with central apertures 25 to provide for inspection of the interior of the drum by the operator and to provide an opening through which potatoes can be delivered to the hopper from the discharge chute ii The hopper may com- 15 1 to this invention, but it may be of the construction disclosed in my copending application, Serial No.

' 117,778, filed December 28, 1936.

From inspection of Fig. 2, it will be noted that potatoes discharged into the drum ||l will fall into the tube 2| whose opening is located at the bottom of the drum, until such time as the drum is rotated by the operator to bring the next .tube into this position. The angled relation of the outer ends of the tubes 2| with respect to the drum enables easy placing of the paper bags as at 28 over the end of the tube so that as the measuring device is subsequently rotating, the bag, in telescoped relation over the tube, will come into position to receive the potatoes therefrom.

In order to support and guide the bags during the filling operation, a generally arcuate track 3| is provided, and is adjustably supported by an L-shaped frame 32 from a pair of brackets 33 on the angles The brackets 33 are preferably provided with suitable vertically spaced holes to receive the fastening bolts therefor, whereby the spacing between the track 3| and the tubes 2| can be varied.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that after an empty bag is placed on a tube 2| in position A, and the drum is rotated to move the bag to position B, its filling position, the end of the bag will engage track 3| and be guided and supported thereby, the edges of the track being bent upwardly as at 34 to provide flanges for retaining the bags on the track.

When the bag is in position B, the operator watches through the adjacent openng 25 until the tube 2| is substantially filled with potatoes, when he rotates the drum I0 to move the bag and tube to position C, where the bag runs off the end of the track and the tube 2| is emptied by the potatoes falling into the bag, while the succeeding tube 2| is moved to position B for the filling operation, and the next succeeding tube is moved into position Ato receive a bag.

From position C the bags are removed by an operator and are usually checked for weight and then closed to form a package ready for the market.

From the above description, it is seen that the filling machine of my invention is of simple construction and operation, and lends itself to economical manufacture. Also the machine can be moved easily from place to place, and can be readily attached and removed from the sizer.

While I have shown a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the machine can be subjected to variations and changes without departing from the spirit of the invention, whose scope, therefore, is to be limited only by a proper interpretation of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a filling machine, a rotary drum forming a hopper, and a series of pocket-forming tubes opening into the periphery of said drum and extending at an angle to the radii of said drum in trailing relation to the direction of rotation of the drum, said tubes projecting outwardly from said drum into bag receiving position.

2. In a filling machine, a rotary drum forming a hopper, and a pocket-forming tube opening into the periphery of said drum and extending at an angle to a radius of said drum in trailing relation. to the direction of rotation of the drum,

said tube projecting outwardly from said drum into bag receiving position.

3. In a filling machine, a rotary drum forming a hopper, and a series of pocket-forming tubes opening into the periphery of said drum and extending at an angle to the radii of said drum in trailing relation to the direction of rotation of the drum, said tubes projecting outwardly from said drum intobag-receiving position, and the ends of said drum being partially closed by centrally apertured plates.

4. In a filling machine, a rotary drum forming a hopper, and a pocket-forming tube opening into the periphery of said drum and extending at an angle to a radius of said drum in trailing relation to the direction of rotation of the drum, said tube projecting outwardly from said drum into bag receiving position, and the ends of said drum being partially closed by centrally apertured plates.

5. In a filling machine, a frame, a drum mounted on said frame for rotation about a horizontal axis, a series of pocket-forming tubes opening into the periphery of said drum and extending at an angle to the radii of said drum in trailing relation to the direction of rotation of the drum, said tubes projecting outwardly fromsaid drum into bag receiving position, and delivery means for feeding articles into said drum from a side thereof.

6. In a filling machine, a rotary drum forming a hopper, and a series of pocket-forming tubes carried by and opening into the periphery of said drum and adapted to receive containers telescoped over the outer ends thereof.

7. In a filling machine, a rotary drum forming a hopper, and a pocket forming tube carried by and opening into the periphery of said drum and adapted to receive a container telescoped over the outer end thereof.

8. In a filling machine, a rotary drum forming a hopper, a series of pocket-forming tubes carried by and opening into the periphery of said drum and adapted to receive containers telescoped over the outer ends thereof, and a com tainer guide track spaced from said tubes to maintain the containers operatively related to said tubes during filling thereof.

9. In a filling machine, a rotary drum forming a hopper, a pocket-forming tube carried by and opening into the periphery of said drum and adapted to receive a. container telescoped over the outer end thereof, and a container guide track spaced from said tubes to maintain the containers operatively related to said tubes during filling thereof.

10. In a filling machine, a drum rotatable about a horizontal axis and forming, a hopper,

a tube secured to said drum and extending outwardly therefrom in non-radial position and in trailing relation with respect to the direction of rotation of the drum, and a container supporting and guide track mounted below said tube to maintain a container operatively related to said tube during delivery of articles from said hopper through said tube to the container.

11. In a filling machine, a frame, a drum forming'a hopper, roller means engaged with the periphery of said drum to mount said drum on said frame for rotation about a horizontal axis, a tube secured to said drum and extending'outwardly therefrom to receive a container in tele-- .scoping relation, and a container supporting and guide track mounted below said tube to maintain a container operatively related to said tube durin delivery of, articles from said hopper through said tube to the container.

12. In a filling machine, a frame, a drum forming a hopper, a circumferential -flange on said drum, roller means engaged with said flange to mount said drum on said frame for rotation about ahorizontal axis, a tube secured to said drum and "extending outwardly therefrom to receive a container in telescoping relation, and a container supporting and guide track mounted below said tube to maintain a container operatively related to said tube during delivery of articles from said hopper through said tube to the container.

delivery of articles from said hopper through said 10 tube to the container, and means mounting said track on said frame for vertical adjustment relative to said tube.

HARRY C STOCKDALE.

. 13. In a filling machine. a frame, a drum form- 

